[tlhIngan Hol] Who does {-oy} show endearment to

[nIqolay Q]

On Thu, Aug 17, 2017 at 11:11 AM, mayqel qunenoS <mihkoun at gmail.com> wrote:

> SuStel:
> > An exception—at least in English—would be if person A
> > used an endearment of person B while talking to person C;
> > person C would be justified in repeating the endearment, as > it is in
> the context of being what person A would say.
> > A: *choHIvchugh vavoywI' vIja'!*
> > C: *vavoylI' Daja'chugh qaHIvqa'.*
>
> However the question remains..
>
> A uses an endearment of person B while talking to person C; person C
> repeats the endearment.
>
> Is there a possibility that person C, in his effort to recreate what
> person A would say, is actually showing endearment too toward person B ?
> Perhaps even if he doesn't want to ?
>

Repeating a term of endearment that's been introduced into the conversation
doesn't necessarily mean you also feel that endearment. If a small child
comes up to me at a large gathering and asks {SoSoywI' Daleghpu''a'?} "Have
you seen my mommy?" and I reply {jISovbe'. SoSoylI' yIDel.} "I don't know.
What's your mommy look like?", I'm not expressing endearment for the
child's mother. I'm merely repeating the term they've already used to refer
to her. If I were worried about inappropriately showing endearment towards
the child's mother, I would just not repeat the {-oy}: {jISovbe'. SoSlI'
yIDel.}
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